Seed flow lubricant compositions and uses thereof

Abstract

Dry compositions comprising protein powders and lipids for use as seed flow lubricants, and methods of using the dry composition to improve seed flowability, reduce formation of seed dust, increase seed plantability, increase plant emergence, and increase crop yield.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for improving plant seed flowability and/or reducing formation of plant seed dust, the method comprising contacting a plurality of plant seeds with a dry composition comprising a protein powder and a lipid. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protein powder is a soy protein powder, a corn protein powder, an oat protein powder, a wheat protein powder, a pea protein powder, a rice protein powder, a nut protein powder, an algal protein powder, a kelp protein powder, a whey protein powder, a casein protein powder, an egg protein powder, an albumen protein powder, a blood meal protein powder, a bone meal protein powder, a fish protein powder, a shellfish protein powder, a plankton protein powder, a yeast protein powder, a bacterial protein powder, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lipid is a lecithin, a vegetable oil, a fish oil, an animal fat, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dry composition comprises an isolated soy protein powder and a soy lecithin. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the isolated soy protein powder is present in an amount from about 80% to about 99.9% of the by weight of the dry composition and the soy lecithin is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 5% of by weight of the dry composition. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dry composition further comprises an active ingredient chosen from a micronutrient,  rhizobium  inoculum, fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting occurs in a seed planter box. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting occurs prior to adding the plurality of plant seeds to a seed planter box. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , where the dry composition is contacted with the plurality of plant seeds in a weight ratio from about 0.0001:1 to about 0.5:1. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plant seeds is chosen from corn seeds, legume plant seeds, cereal seeds, grass seeds, cotton seeds, oil seeds, or vegetable seeds. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plant seeds contacted with the dry composition has increased seed plantability, increased plant emergence, and/or increased crop yield relative to plant seeds not contacted with the dry composition. 
     
     
       12. A dry composition for use as a seed flow lubricant, the dry composition comprising an isolated soy protein powder and a soy lecithin, wherein the isolated soy protein powder is present in an amount from about 80% to about 99.9% by weight of the dry composition and the soy lecithin is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the dry composition. 
     
     
       13. The dry composition of  claim 12 , wherein the dry composition further comprises an active ingredient chosen from a micronutrient,  rhizobium  inoculum, fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       14. A seed composition comprising a plurality of plant seeds and a dry composition, the dry composition comprising a protein powder and a lipid. 
     
     
       15. The seed composition of  claim 14  wherein the protein powder is a soy protein powder, a corn protein powder, an oat protein powder, a wheat protein powder, a pea protein powder, a rice protein powder, a nut protein powder, an algal protein powder, a kelp protein powder, a whey protein powder, a casein protein powder, an egg protein powder, an albumen protein powder, a blood meal protein powder, a bone meal protein powder, a fish protein powder, a shellfish protein powder, a plankton protein powder, a yeast protein powder, a bacterial protein powder, or a combination thereof, and the protein powder is present in an amount from about 50% to about 99.9% by weight of the dry composition. 
     
     
       16. The seed composition of  claim 14 , wherein the lipid is a lecithin, a vegetable oil, a fish oil, an animal fat, or a combination thereof, and the lipid is present in an amount from about 0.005% to about 0.5% by weight of the dry composition. 
     
     
       17. The seed composition of  claim 14 , wherein the dry composition further comprises an active ingredient chosen from a micronutrient,  rhizobium  inoculum, fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       18. The seed composition of  claim 14 , wherein the dry composition comprises an isolated soy protein powder and a soy lecithin. 
     
     
       19. The seed composition of  claim 18 , wherein the isolated soy protein powder is present in an amount from about 80% to about 99.9% by weight of the dry composition and the soy lecithin is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight of the dry composition. 
     
     
       20. The seed composition of  claim 19 , wherein the dry composition further comprises an active ingredient chosen from a micronutrient,  rhizobium  inoculum, fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, or combination thereof. 
     
     
       21. The seed composition of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of plant seeds is chosen from corn seeds, legume plant seeds, cereal seeds, grass seeds, cotton seeds, oil seeds, or vegetable seeds.